New Zealand Printer February 2021

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February 2021

RETHINK EFFICIENCY

PrintNZ: the year ahead Packaging NZ update NZSDA gets sustainable PIDA entries open

1987-2021

with

WIDE FORMAT

years in print

+Plus

PRINTNZ EVENTS 2021

PrintNZ 2021 Event Dates • February 12 – Pride In Print Early Bird Entries Close • February 17 – Network/Meet the Board, Wellington • March 18 – Auckland Training Graduation • March 19 – Wellington Golf Day • March 25 – Christchurch Training Graduation • March 31 – Pride in Print Entries Close • June 25 – Pride in Print Awards, Auckland • September 24 – Mainland Golf Day • November 5 – Manawatu Golf Day Don’t miss these important events Place the dates in your diary today Visit our website www.printnz.co.nz/events for full event details.

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February 2021

newzealandprinter.co.nz

February 2021 Cover Story Konica Minolta

12-14 Since launching a direct operation in October last year, Konica Minolta has established a strong market presence with solutions like the AccurioPress C14000, which targets productivity and quality PrintNZ p8-11

8-9 Helping Hand: Iain MacIntyre reports on how PrintNZ is looking forward positively to a more ‘normal’ year 10 Comment: With 2020 in the past, Ruth Cobb reminds us that we need to focus on what we know in 2021 Wide Format Plus p25-34

26 Aarque: HP has released the cs giant has unveiled a range of new printers 28 Epson: The graphics giant has unveiled a range of new printers 30 News: We report on changes at Computaleta and Total Supply

CONTENTS Digital Feature p18-23

18 BJ Ball: Icon Digital Media, supplied through BJ Ball, has introduced some exciting new solutions for the digital printing sector 20 Currie Group: The region’s first HP Indigo 100K Digital Press has arrived, supplied through Currie Group, at Aussie trade printer CMYKhub 22 Fuji Xerox: The Fuji Xerox Versant 3100i offers a raft of new features including a new air suction paper feeder and longer sheets Packaging p35-41

37 PIDA: Organisers have opened entries for this year’s PIDA competition 38-40 Heidelberg: The press giant has pivoted to packaging printing 41 News: We highlight the latest news on packaging industry innovations and solutions

Advertiser’s index

Aarque 7, 29 APM 7 BJ Ball 19 Computaleta Group 27 Currie Group 7, 21 Cyber OBC Eamar Plastics 42 EPSON 31 Fuji Xerox 23 Graphic Lamination & Coating 5 Graphic Machinery NZ Ltd 7 Konica Minolta OFC, 15 NZSDA 35 Pride In Print 43 printing.com 42 PrintNZ 11 VPR Ltd 42 Wholesale Print 17

32 NZSDA: The year ahead sees NZSDA working on some positive changes 33 NZSDA President/Secretary: The time has come for the industry to do its bit for the environment 34 NZSDA Signee Spotlight: Signage legend Jim Marshall shares some insights into his life as a sign maker 36 Currie Group/EFI: The biggest news so far this year sees EFI partnering with Currie Group for wide format Features p16 & p24

16 Cyber: Press manufacturer RMGT has partnered with LED UV expert GEW for all RMGT presses 24 Classic Fellman: Defensive sales management works like defence in sports

NEW ZEALAND PRINTER PO Box 32-395, Devonport, Auckland 0744 EDITORIAL: 021 631 559 Bruce Craig, Editor: bruce@newzealandprinter.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS: Ruth Cobb, Melissa Coutts, Andy Lowe, Iain MacIntyre CIRCULATION: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

PrintNZ hopes to place this year’s Apprentice of the Year Awards finalists on stage at Pride In Print in June

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Printer Media Group New Zealand: New Zealand Printer, ProPack.pro Asia Pacific: ProPack.pro Australia: Australian Printer, ProPrint MANAGING DIRECTOR: James Wells – james@intermedia.com.au GROUP PUBLISHER: Brian Moore – brian@newzealandprinter.co.nz © Copyright 2021: Contents of this magazine are subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

February 2021

3

NEWS Packaging New Zealand restructures for the future

IN BRIEF AGFA intends to restructure its offset activities. At a recent meeting, the Agfa Board of Directors expressed the intention to organise the company’s offset solutions activities into a stand-alone legal entity structure and organisation within the Agfa Gevaert Group. This intended re-organisation forms part of the strategic transformation programme for the Agfa Gevaert Group. To improve profitability and to address the significant decline in market demand, Agfa adds that is reviewing its offset business model, simplifying its organisation and streamlining its product offering.

HIGHCON has appointed Alon Bar-Shany as its new chairman of digital. The former general manager of HP Indigo joins the founder of Indigo and current chairman of the Landa Group, Benny Landa, on the Highcon board. Cutting and creasing machinery manufacturer Highcon recently floated on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

It is now making senior appointments to bolster its management team and Board of Directors. Another former HP Indigo alumnus, Simon Lewis, has also been announced as Highcon’s new vice president of marketing.

INK mixing systems developer Inkmaker has appointed Novasys as its agent for Australia and New Zealand. Ron Craigie, managing director at Novasys, says, “The Inkmaker range has solutions for printers from small operations to high volume ink users. Inkmaker provides precise gravimetric systems. They are proven, reliable, with a comprehensive software, not only for mixing inks, but also for stock control and worksheet entry and the like. Inkmaker’s specialised brands and its proprietary software places it above the competition.”

Packaging New Zealand has put its succession strategy in place, after former executive director Sharon Humphreys left the organisation to pursue some of her personal interests.

Harry Burkhardt, president of Packaging New Zealand, says the Packaging New Zealand executive team engaged an external consultant to help modify the strategic plan for the immediate term.

He says, “This ensures we will maintain the pathway towards our future state, the blueprint which we published in the 2020 annual report.”

For the immediate term, this work determined that the executive director role should split into three key functional areas: member management services and administration; communications and marketing; and government relations.

Packaging New Zealand has engaged PrintNZ to provide the member management services and administration. Burkhardt says, “Under the leadership of Ruth Cobb, PrintNZ is well placed to provide this

Harry Burkhardt, president of Packaging New Zealand function and will ensure a seamless transition for ongoing membership support.

“The communications and marketing function will use external service providers, overseen by a communication subcommittee of the Executive Board, in the short term. It is our intention to review this function throughout this time, to ensure any future permanent resource has the right skillset to meet the requirements of our future state.”

Packaging New Zealand expects to provide updates on the government liaison function in the first quarter of 2021.

“We believe that this structure will provide a smooth transition from how the organisation was structured, to a more nimble state reflective of the direction of Packaging New Zealand and the challenges and opportunities ahead for the packaging industry.

Should anyone have any enquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Fuji Xerox zaps media microbes Fuji Xerox has announced that all its Never Tear synthetic digital media will be anti-microbial.

The company says this world first applies to all gauges from 095μm to 350μm, adding that no other synthetic digital

media has this capability.

An additive within the coating, called Biomaster, has been successfully tested on the most common microbial organisms in more than 2,000 applications. The company says the coating is 99.9 per

cent effective. The coating does not impact the printing process, which in turn does not affect the antimicrobial properties of the media. Fuji Xerox will also launch an anti-microbial label range, initially as Matt White, with Clear to follow.

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February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

NEWS Hubergroup focuses on health and community Hubergroup New Zealand’s mentoring programme recently farewelled its first graduate, Peter Wikaire.

Arthur Lenssen, general manager at Hubergroup New Zealand says, “We instigated the programme, the brainchild of our production manager, Kevin Tapatuetoa, in January 2020, aiming to create an opportunity for a young person, who may not have had the same opportunities in life as others; to experience an environment surrounded by positive role models, where success is celebrated and where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.

Underpinning all this is a focus on discipline, confidence, fitness and boxing, and self respect.”

Hubergroup New Zealand provided meaningful, paid, part time employment whilst encouraging academic achievement, Tikanga Māori and personal growth. Lenssen says, “We took tremendous pride in

IN BRIEF KONICA MINOLTA has announced that it has been named a worldwide leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print Transformation 2020 Vendor Assessment for print transformation in recognition of its strong portfolio that supports customers in growing their digital maturity. The report states: “Konica Minolta’s product evolution involves a continuum of products and services including hardware, managed services, and business process automation integrated into an intelligent connected workplace.”

From left: Arthur Lenssen, Peter Wikaire, and Kevin Tapatuetoa helping Peter in preparing to fulfil his ambition of joining the New Zealand Defence Force.

“It has been a great privilege to bear witness to this young man’s journey and to have a leader like Kevin Tapatuetoa in our ranks whose mana, passion, and relentless dedication to Hubergroup, our clients, and the wider community is, quite frankly, inspiring.”

The company champions staff health and well-being.

Last year, it established a boxing/fitness club where staff work out on equipment provided by the company. For every kilo of weight lost, it makes a $10 donation to Dave Letele’s BBM programme as well as Sir Ray Avery’s food programme. Over five months, participants collectively lost 50kg.

KYOCERA has joined the Wall Street Journal’s list of the ‘100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World’. The Wall Street Journal examined the sustainability metrics of more than 5,500 businesses in areas such as business model and innovation, external social and product issues, employee and workplace issues, and the environment. Overall, Kyocera ranked 46th in the world, with a score of 72.7. However, Kyocera ranked third in the world for the sustainability of its business model and innovation and 14th for human capital sustainability in the workplace.”

Ricoh previews its B2 sheetfed inkjet system Ricoh has unveiled its Pro Z75 B2 sheetfed inkjet system.

The company says the new press contains ‘future defining technology’ to help businesses reach new benchmarks for productivity, image quality and operating costs.

With the Ricoh Pro Z75, the company says it has built on its 40 plus years of inkjet innovation, and the culture of transformational innovation known as Henkaku.

The new press targets commercial printers seeking to expand their application range and profitably meet the increasing demand for short runs. Ricoh sees media flexibility and competitive operational costs as key to success.

It says those seeking exceptional productivity, ease of use, and media newzealandprinter.co.nz

versatility, across offset coated, uncoated and inkjet treated stocks, with one of the lowest operational costs in its class, will benefit from the strategic design of the Ricoh Pro Z75.

The Ricoh Pro Z75 uses Ricoh’s drying technology, auto-duplexing, paper transport and a new digital front end controller architecture targeted at bringing class leading levels of productivity and speed to the market.

Ricoh says the press achieves offset quality images through the company’s own printheads, aqueous ink, and dynamic drop size technology, providing customers with a printing solution that will surpass the expectations of demanding clients.

Ricoh will reveal more details on the Pro Z75 press in the coming months.

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February 2021

5

NEWS First Idealliance G7 Colour courses start online in February Idealliance, the global standards developer and certifying body for ISO and G7 colour specification will host online training sessions on G7 based print and packaging applications this month.

The interactive training takes place over five consecutive days, from February 22-27. Training consists of a variety of components, including shared slides, video, whiteboard illustrations of critical concepts, press

runs and print calibration simulations, and hands-on analysis.

David Crowther, named last year as head of Idealliance Australasia, will lead the training open to those based in Australia and New Zealand. It will focus on G7 based print and packaging applications, and G7 integration, maintenance, and process control across all print and proofing applications through cutting edge, online learning.

Idealliance describes its G7 Expert Certification Live Online training as a new design to accommodate an online environment.

Participants receive a library of print resources enabling them to participate during the hands on activities. Downloadable production resource materials such as G7 test forms help participants learn how to implement G7 in their own plants in order to obtain G7 Master qualification.

Participants also receive access to the online training library. Idealliance encourages participants to participate in hands-on activities using their colour management tools and solutions.

Registration includes Colour Management Professional Fundamentals online training, provided in advance of the live training, to support leaders in colour management in their journey to become G7 Experts.

Wall box sales lift Heidelberg’s bottom line Diversifying into electric vehicle charging has proved worthwhile for the world’s largest offset press manufacturer.

Heidelberg began production of the Wallbox Home Eco, a model for quick and easy vehicle charging in the private and semi-public domains, in summer 2018.

Following the sales launch in Germany, from this year it is also selling the model through intermediaries on numerous European markets.

In the last two years, Heidelberg has supplied customers with over 35,000 Wallbox systems. The company is also planning to significantly increase sales volumes amid the continuing growth in demand. In late 2019, the model came out top

Charge: Heidelberg has already sold 35,000 Wallbox units in comparative testing

by German automobile association ADAC. In October 2020, the company unveiled the Heidelberg Wallbox Energy Control with integrated load management. Networked

to support simultaneous charging of as many as 16 electric vehicles, it provides an attractive charging solution for apartment buildings, multi-vehicle garages, and company/hotel parking lots.

Rainer Hundsdörfer, chief executive at Heidelberg, says, “The market for Wallboxes is booming. Our production capacity is being used to the full and we have established ourselves as a successful supplier in this market of the future.

By taking into operation a second production line, we can respond to the high customer demand more effectively. In doing so, we’re systematically pursuing our growth plans on the highly promising electromobilty market.”

“We have big plans for electromobility, including for the coming financial year. Given the growing appeal of electric vehicles in many European countries, we will significantly expand our sales activities on those markets.”

Pantone names its colours for 2021 Pantone has broken with tradition in naming two colours for its 2021 Colour the Year: Ultimate Gray 17-5104 (grey) and Illuminating 13-0647 (yellow).

The company says the two colours have use in a variety of applications including apparel, beauty, home furnishings, product design, and packaging.

Pantone calls Illuminating the colour of highest 6

visibility and reflectivity and when used with Ultimate Gray, it produces a visually noticeable message.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute, says, “The selection of two independent colours highlight how different elements come together to express a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting, conveying the idea

that it’s not about one colour or one person.

“Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit.”

“The coupling of friendly Illuminating with quietly assuring Ultimate Gray infuses a message

of vitality into a firm foundation of reliability, wisdom and experience for packaging and multimedia design. When it comes to home decor items, the combination adds a dose of sunshine and positivity to a room.

Juxtaposing Illuminating with Ultimate Gray in table linens, sheeting, and home accessories including pillows and tabletop infuses vitality and liveliness.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

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Print Service & Supply Businesses - Stay in Front Stay in front of your prospects, New Zealand Printer readers, with an ad in the New Zealand Printer Directory. Pay just $150 ex gst a month over 11 issues and get noticed by the people who need your goods or services. The Directory is published monthly near the Print Calendar at the end of the NZP news section.

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PRINT CALENDAR Total Supply Spicers Charity Golf Day

Print4All

PacPrint 2021

March 19, 2021 Pakuranga Golf Club, Auckland After having to call the day off last year because of Covid-19, organisers rescheduled the event. It promises a fun day with golfers of all abilities welcome. All proceeds from the day will go to the The New Zealand Cancer Society.

May 3-6, 2021 Fiero Milano, Italy A new show that goes beyond the traditional segmentation of the commercial, editorial, and industrial printing market today. It offers a broader showcase and a varied selection of solutions.

September 28 to October 1 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Since 1970, PacPrint has provided a platform for suppliers and visitors to get together and generate business opportunities through the latest technologies, solutions, and trends.

www.print4all.it

www.pacprint.com.au

Pride In Print Awards

Fespa Global Expo

June 25, 2021 Cordis Hotel, Auckland Entries have opened for our national print awards competition. Early bird entries close on February 12, and the final entry cut off is March 31. Make sure to get your best work together and enter sooner rather than later.

October 12-15, 2021 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Organisers have moved the show again. They still have the backing of exhibitors wanting to provide an innovative wide format showcase. It will run alongside the European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro exhibitions.

www.prideinprintawards.co.nz

www.fespa.com

NZSDA Conference and Sign Expo

Interpack

July 8-10, 2021 Auckland The rescheduled AGM, conference, awards, and NZSign Expo will still feature everything that would have happened last year, plus more. The awards event acknowledges outstanding design and craftsmanship across a range of sign making methods.

May 4-10, 2023 Düsseldorf, Germany This is the rescheduling for the largest event in the packaging industry. Interpack specialises in the packaging process within the food, beverage, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food, and industrial goods sectors.

email: zoe@totalsupply.co.nz

Foodtech Packtech April 13-15, 2021 ASB Showgrounds, Auckland New Zealand’s largest food manufacturing, packaging and processing technology trade show, rescheduled from September 2020, will attract more than 250 local and international exhibitors and some 4,500 trade visitors.

www.foodtechpacktech.co.nz

virtual.drupa April 20-23, 2021 Online After suffering its first cancellation in 69 years, drupa will take place in its usual location of Düsseldorf, Germany in May and June, 2024.

Meanwhile, Messe Düsseldorf has opted for a four day online event, citing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the cause of the cancellaton.

www.drupa.com newzealandprinter.co.nz

www.nzsda.org.nz

www.interpack.com

February 2021

7

helping hand

Looking forward positively

P

rintNZ chief executive Ruth Cobb predicts the Year 2021 will present as somewhat of a blend of old and new to members, entailing a mix of a progressive return to “business as usual”, alongside the need to operate with regard to pandemic-related requirements.

She says, “Some regular services and events will return, but the landscape in a regulatory and functional sense will require ongoing adaptability.

“However, our members can rest assured that PrintNZ will continue to adapt our programme, services and advice in direct accordance with developments.

“We feel confident that New Zealand’s print sector can look forward to this year with renewed positivity.”

Key focuses for PrintNZ in 2021 will include: • Lobbying – legislative changes under the new Labour government, including the Review of Vocational Education (RoVE) and ongoing changes to legislation in line with Labour’s election promises • Training – including fees free for apprenticeships and Diploma of Print Management • PrintNZ training graduations • Apprentice of the Year • Pride In Print Awards • Addressing pandemicrelated issues • Mental wellbeing • Development of services • Other events

Lobbying Cobb sees a requirement for PrintNZ to focus on lobbying and ensuring the industry’s voice is heard with the new government.

She says, “While some have noted the Labour government’s capability to govern alone means the ‘handbrake is off’, it has also been observed that ‘driving without a handbrake’ requires one to drive carefully.

In this case, it is even more 8

IAIN MACINTYRE

PrintNZ will continue to adapt its services and programmes in 2021

Normal: a return to ‘business as usual’ presents a major challenge for the industry in 2021 important to stay on top of any proposed changes to ensure that the businesses that make up the New Zealand economy are well represented.

“We will also work closely with other business organisations such as Business New Zealand and other industry associations to provide a broad and consistent viewpoint.

“The government’s review of vocational education will be one of the largest focal points and will require a substantial commitment to ensure that our industry’s training is not marginalised in any changes.”

PrintNZ is targeting further relationship development, in particular the following key MPs and Government departments: • Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood • Small Business Minister Stuart Nash • Education Minister Chris Hipkins • Health Minister Andrew Little • The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture and Heritage, Immigration New Zealand,

WorkSafe New Zealand, and Accident Compensation Corporation

Training PrintNZ emphasises that the need to train has never been greater and the cost to do so has never been cheaper.

Cobb says, “The government has recently removed or modified the costs of many of the training schemes that are particularly relevant to the printing industry.

“It is important that our business owners and managers remain aware of these programmes, as they develop, in order to reap full benefit for their staff and operations alike.

PrintNZ will be again striving to provide this key delivery function to our members during 2021.

“Furthermore, in the current pandemic-affected environment, domestic training has taken on an even greater relevance. We have no idea how long it may be before there is an opportunity to again import labour freely from throughout the world. In the meantime, we need to redouble efforts to ‘grow our own’.

“Print remains a vital industry and we need to ensure

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

helping hand

to a more ‘normal’ year innovation company awards, as well as the Friends of the Awards sponsorship tier, are already generating much interest within the industry.”

Pandemic-related issues

will receive their awards at a presentation during the Pride In Print Awards evening, which will take place at Cordis Hotel in Auckland on Friday June 25.

Cobb adds, “These awards showcase the enormous talent in our industry and the companies that nurture that talent, and it is fitting that they are awarded in front of the largest industry audience.”

New Zealand has clearly had some success in its approach to dealing with the global pandemic.

While some businesses have taken a hit from the overall effects of the decision to ‘go hard and go early’, others have managed to hang in there.

Now, with talk of a new travel bubble with neighbouring countries, positive signs have emerged of a return to ‘business as usual’ but Cobb cautions, “Subsequent outbreaks across the Tasman and further afield, suggest a return to greater normality may be some time off yet.

“What that fully illustrates, as the picture continues to change, both as an overall industry and PrintNZ within its role in the sector, is that we all must continue to evolve our practices in direct accordance with the guidelines. Our job is to remain vigilant to developments and provide the prime conduit of information between government agencies and our members.”

Pride In Print Awards

Further developments

Under the new leadership of recently appointed PrintNZ events manager Tania McDougall, the 2021 Pride In Print Awards will offer some significant enhancements.

Entries have opened for the awards. Cobb says, “With Tania onboard, working closely with both the Pride In Print Awards committee and PrintNZ, we are very much looking forward to seeing the campaign explore positive new ground.

“Our industry didn’t stop last year. In fact, Covid-19 saw the adaptation and introduction of many new products. So, we are looking forward to seeing what new entries might present.

“In addition, the two new initiatives announced late last year, the introduction of wellness, sustainability and

Alongside government and business endeavours to speed our recovery, PrintNZ always strives to improve the breadth, relevance, and delivery of its many services.

As with its members, PrintNZ has responded and adapted to a changing business environment. Cobb says, “We will continue to do so through 2021, establishing new services as required to meet the evolving world we currently live in.

“A key feature of this work will be the development of resources to raise awareness and support the overall wellbeing of the people in our industry.

“This year will continue to present challenges but 2020 has shown that we can face them head on and succeed.”

Taking a chance to celebrate success: PrintNZ hopes to place this year’s Apprentice of the Year Awards finalists on stage at Pride In Print in June we have the skills available to guarantee its fully-productive future.”

PrintNZ graduations At the time of publication, PrintNZ expects the traditional training graduation ceremonies will return this year.

It will host two ceremonies.

The first will take place on March 18 at the Vodafone Events Centre, Manukau, Auckland. The second ceremony will take place on March 25 at Rydges Hotel in Latimer Square, Christchurch.

“We are looking forward to again in-person being able to acknowledge the achievements of our sector’s trainees in advancing both their own qualifications and, in turn, the level of professionalism in the industry overall.

“In 2021 the graduations will encompass two years of graduates as we recognise those that were unable to be acknowledged in 2020.”

Apprentice of the Year The PrintNZ Apprentice of the Year Award and Company Training Awards remain a highlight of the PrintNZ calendar. This year’s winner newzealandprinter.co.nz

February 2021

9

Work with what you know – and know what you are working with There has never been a better time to train your staff

W

elcome to 2021.

I am sure that everyone enjoyed the chance to have some time away and refresh the batteries after the curve balls that 2020 threw at us.

While many have talked about being glad to get to the end of 2020, unfortunately midnight on December 31 did not come with a magic switch that meant everything from 2020 was behind us.

And so, while we go into 2021 with some caution about the unknowns, we need to focus on, and work with, what we know.

While in the background we are prepared for things to change, it has been good to start the year with solid plans across all the groups we work with.

First off is the release of the entry forms for the Pride In Print Awards. Entries have opened and we want to encourage as many of you as possible to enter. If you have not entered before, give it a go. If you have some questions about how it all works, then talk to us; we want to ensure the awards programme means something to everyone.

With the Awards under new management, we have also expanded the scope of the programme to recognise the companies that are doing great business: innovating, looking after the wellbeing of their staff, and operating sustainably. It is important that the buyers of print understand the outstanding businesses that produce the amazing products we print. These businesses will provide great examples to put forward to showcase our industry not only to the buyers of print, but to other industries as well.

10

RUTH COBB

Things we know: As we move through 2021, we need to focus on, and work with, what we know We are currently planning our Training Graduations for March, recognising those that graduated during 2020; no small feat, considering the interruptions during the year. We will also provide the opportunity for those that did not get their minute in the sun during 2020 to come along and get their due recognition.

We will highlight our Apprentice of the Year, Training Company of the Year, and Trainer of the Year finalists and set the pathway for the winners to be announced at the Pride In Print Awards on 25 June in Auckland.

A huge thanks to our sponsors of these events who, despite the difficulties of 2020, have committed once again so that we can proceed with all these events. We are unable to do it without them, but they recognise the importance of these to our industry and have all committed to do it again in 2021.

In keeping with the ‘know what you are working with’ concept, there has never been a better time to train your staff, both from the perspective of cost, and the need to ensure that you have an ongoing supply of skilled labour.

As a result of the ongoing effects of Covid 19 and the severe curtailment of access to overseas labour, the government has provided

incentives at a level never seen before. It is covering not only the fees, but in the case of apprentices, it is also making a contribution towards wages.

Both offers last for a limited time so, the sooner you take them up, the more value they will have for you. But the thing that will provide your business with the most value is the skills your staff will learn and applying them in the workplace.

PrintNZ will continue to be the eyes, ears, and voice of the industry across all subject matters including ongoing matters such as the Review of Vocational Education, as well as new issues that arise. We look forward to engaging with our members across a number of platforms as the field team will continue their member visits. We have plenty of events planned for 2021 that we hope to see you at. You will find a list of these on the inside front cover of the magazine.

In addition. the Board of PrintNZ met in mid-January and signed off on the strategy for the next two to three years, which includes developing some project work to benefit the industry. We will seek feedback from members as the plans progress.

The PrintNZ team looks forward to working with you through 2021 and trust that we can do this with a little less disruption than last year.

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

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COVER STORY

Konica Minolta ignite AccurioPress C14000 series targets productivity and quality

S

ince launching a direct operation in October last year, global technology innovator, Konica Minolta has established itself with a strong market presence in New Zealand.

The long history of success of the Konica Minolta brand in the region has helped ensure a positive start for the team locally.

Chris O’Hara, national production print manager at Konica Minolta New Zealand, says, “We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response over the last few months. The graphic arts, label and packaging markets are excited to be able to access the full breadth of the Konica Minolta product portfolio including its cut-sheet digital toner products, digital label press, the B2+ UV inkjet press and MGI digital embellishment systems.”

Last year, Konica Minolta launched its AccurioPress C14000 series which includes the AccurioPress C14000 and C12000, producing up to 140 ppm (A4, C14000) and up to 120 ppm (A4, C12000).

O’Hara says, “The presses are perfect for high volume colour environments. The series offers higher total productivity and efficiency that will really change the game for commercial printers. These presses include several advanced automation features and options that will help printers expand and streamline their operations to deliver increased, high-quality output with less operator intervention and waste.”

The AccurioPress C14000 series can be equipped with the new optional TU-510 versatile trimmer unit for advanced operational efficiency. The TU-510, a genuine inline, four-edge trimmer, creaser and

12

Productive: the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000

perforator, allows full bleed finishing support for banners, rack cards, brochures, direct mail and a dedicated business card cutting option.

Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Quality Optimiser (IQ-501) comes as standard with the AccurioPress C14000 series.

The IQ-501 can improve labour efficiency by as much as 30 per cent while at the same time reducing waste.

Complementing the IQ501, Konica Minolta’s Auto Inspection Unit scans each image looking for print anomalies when compared to a proof image and checks output data for integrity.

image quality and unparalleled media flexibility.

New duplex banner printing up to 900mm and simplex banner length capability of 1300mm, combined with envelope and embossed media capability gives customers the opportunity to offer new types of work, such as four-panel gatefold brochures and book covers for finishing offline.

To further improve efficiency and output, envelope printing can be accomplished using the standard fuser. New technology used in the print engine dramatically improves image quality on textured paper stocks.

Business expansion

Operational efficiency

O’Hara says the AccurioPress C14000 series features make them ideal for customers looking to increase productivity through efficiencies, speed and automation to grow their business.

He says, “With resolution equivalent to 3600 x 2400dpi and enhanced media capability up to 450 gsm, they offer breath taking speeds with outstanding

Konica Minolta has created additional new features that enable print companies to improve their efficiency and productivity.

Paired with Konica Minolta’s enhanced IQ-501 automated quality management tool, the new presses automatically and continuously measure and manage colour to ensure the first print in a run matches

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

COVER STORY

es possibilities in print

the last. The IQ-501 can be configured to perform automatic density correction and front-to-back registration both prior to printing and constantly when printing.

The media detection sensor comes standard on these models. It can detect the stock and recommend the best media settings, eliminating time consuming paper settings and operator error, reducing waste and increasing productivity.

The LS-507 large stacker option for the AccurioPress C14000 series supports higher speed, permits banner bypass, and offers operators the advantage of offloading while the machine is still running.

Convenient colour management and job management utilities are available with the Konica Minolta’s proprietary controller. A customisable user interface makes the products extremely easy to operate.

Other third-party controller options include the latest Fiery Hyper Rips and Creo models.

The IQ-501 can also be equipped with an optional Auto Inspection Unit. It newzealandprinter.co.nz

offers expanded inspection performance, verifying print quality and now detecting streaks and spots as well as blemishes. This mimics an offset printer carrying out press checks throughout a print run, but the difference is that the IQ-501 with auto inspection unit carries out the check on every sheet. O’Hara says, “The high-quality prints mean maximum stability even during long-run jobs, while better registration and quality

increases total usable print volume, but importantly it reduces waste which in turn results in higher profitability for the printing company.

“The new presses offer an exceptionally reliable duty cycle of 2.5 million, up from 1.8 million with the AccurioPress C6100, with double the toner capacity of earlier models.

Stability, high durability and reduced downtime all lower the total cost of ownership of the AccurioPress series.”

Konica Minolta has now installed its first AccurioPress C14000 into New Zealand.

Watch this space in the March edition of New Zealand Printer where we will have more detail on the installation.

O’Hara says, “Konica Minolta has received excellent feedback on its other products in the cut-sheet toner product portfolio. In the coming months, we will see some exciting new products launch.

These will feature a number of the enhancements and options available currently on the AccurioPress C14000 series, including the highly versatile TU-510 and revolutionary IQ501.”

Labels buzz New Zealand print and label companies have also shown real interest in the AccurioLabel 230, with the first installation now complete.

Designed for small to mid-size label-converters, the Continued on page 14

Entry level and high quality: Konica Minolta’s AccurioLabel 230 February 2021

13

COVER STORY Continued from page 13

Chris O’Hara, national production print manager at Konica Minolta New Zealand Konica Minolta AccurioLabel series provides an affordable entry to high-quality digital printing. It was developed to manage and deliver an increasing number of small to medium print jobs in evershorter processing times.

Contrary to conventional flexo and offset printing, the highly flexible digital presses can process jobs that require variable data printing, numbering or barcode printing easily and efficiently.

O’Hara says “Konica Minolta has done very well since entering the label market in 2016 and has sold over 500 units globally. This growth has grown by creating demand for a mid-range label press.

“The AccurioLabel press is well positioned to address the issues faced with the label printing industry, particularly its need for small to medium print runs with fast turnaround. This is particularly the case with the changes in the label industry as a result of Covid-19 which has seen run lengths reduce and greater flexibility required.

“Many traditionally analogue label converters have now embraced digital printing for the first time with our AccurioLabel solutions.”

The AccurioLabel 230, a highly flexible system for on demand job requirements, runs most tack papers and films at 14

Eric Holtsmark, managing director Konica Minolta New Zealand speeds of up to 23.4 metres per minute. O’Hara says, “The output is high quality, with the printing resolution of 1200 × 1200dpi and 256 gradations.

The touch panel monitor enables intuitive operation and is easy to use for operators, eliminating the need for extensive user training. Tasks that were time consuming on analogue machines can be performed quickly and accurately. It is perfect for a variety of applications including food and beverage, industrial and pharmaceutical products and much more.

“The AccurioLabel series is also designed to deliver stable printing quality. It is clearly hitting the mark with label converters who want to be able to deliver high quality and consistent results, repeatedly. It also offers the added benefit of a compact footprint.”

He adds that the other Konica Minolta presses sparking interest, the AccurioJet KM-1 and KM-1e, B2+ UV inkjet presses offer the largest sheet size in their class and offset quality. He says “We have seen some interest in B2+ UV inkjet already and we expect this will grow with time.

Digital embellishment is also proving to be of interest so if anyone is interested, we would be more than happy to show samples or arrange virtual demonstrations upon request.”

Team building Konica Minolta has made a strong commitment to its investment locally and has already put a strong team together.

Managing director Eric Holtsmark says, “We have been fortunate to attract outstanding people during the establishment of our business.

The years of experience we have brought into the company so quickly will ensure our customers are serviced by experts in their field.

“We will continue to build a team that is highly customer focused and committed to delivering innovative solutions to the market.”

In the coming months, Konica Minolta will announce the grand opening of its Auckland showroom and a new website for customers to find out more about the company and the solutions it offers. It will also be active in corporate social responsibility, in line with the company’s global philosophy around adding value to the communities in which it operates.

O’Hara says the excitement amongst the team is palpable.

He concludes, “Konica Minolta is very excited about its future plans in New Zealand and is very much looking forward to igniting possibilities with leading print technology.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

NEVER STOP DELIVERING The new AccurioLabel 230 offers enhanced productivity, job flexibility, operability and excellent image quality at an affordable system cost, making it the perfect solution to ensure you always deliver high quality labels on time, every-time. Printing at an impressive 23.4 metres per minute and with a compact footprint, this label press is perfect for label converters looking to convert to digital technology as well as those entering the label market.

To book a demonstration on the new AccurioLabel 230 simply visit

konicaminolta.com.au/AccurioLabel230

OFFSET

RMGT partners with GEW for UV LED

R

MGT has announced the introduction of GEW’s LeoLED system as its factory-fitted UV curing solution for new sheetfed offset machines, with immediate effect.

Cyber supplies RMGT presses in New Zealand.

RMGT pioneered UV LED technology and introduced the world’s first LED curing system for sheetfed printing at drupa in 2008. This original innovation started a slow revolution for the printing industry, one that is now gathering an ever-increasing pace.

In pursuit of continuous technology improvement and after many months of assessment of all major UV LED manufacturers, RMGT formally adopted the high performance GEW product as its definitive new solution.

Katsushi Hirokawa, president at RMGT, says, “RMGT is committed to building relationships of trust with customers, peripheral device manufacturers and all others involved in the industry.

We continually work with our partners to refine and perfect technologies, and to bring innovative new products to the world of printing. Inspired by this corporate philosophy, we have pioneered LED UV and it is our in-depth experience and knowledge of this technology that has enabled us to make a sound judgment about our future UV curing partner.”

Expertise in LED The foundations of this partnership formed in 2018, following GEW’s drive into the sheetfed offset market.

Well known for its established, global presence in the label and narrow web arena, GEW has 30 years’ expertise in this sector, and experience supporting all the major machine manufacturers, provided a strong base from which to expand into the offset business.

The 2019 introduction of GEW’s compact, high performance LeoLED UV curing system, which suits sheetfed applications, drew attention from RMGT’s distribution 16

Now with GEW: RMGT presses will now use GEW LED UV curing technology

GEW and RMGT have agreed to partner for their UV curing solution in RMGT offset presses

network. Early last year, RMGT saw the first test installation at the company’s headquarters in Hiroshima, in early 2020. It completed exhaustive testing with the LeoLED system on several presses, in multiple configurations and the results surpassed all existing performance criteria.

Robert Rae, managing director of Sales at GEW, says, “This announcement affirms GEW as the leading supplier globally for UV LED curing systems. Our latest LeoLED system offers high power and is used in one form for all markets and applications.

This means that it is produced in high volumes, bringing outstanding reliability at a highly competitive cost. In a sheetfed environment, GEW’s modular lamp array allows any number of lamps to be positioned and quickly moved anywhere throughout the press.

This means the same LeoLED product can be used for low, medium and high-performance applications but arranged in single, double or triple modular lamp array configurations dependent upon the application and speed requirements, always guaranteeing performance. It is this concept that appealed to RMGT, both for ultimate reliability and for the flexibility of configurations across their wide range of presses.”

Support and reliability Reliability was paramount for RMGT when choosing a new UV partner. GEW have built a reputation for engineering and manufacturing UV systems to exacting standards, assembling and fully testing every UV system before despatch.

However, specific to GEW, an IoT (Internet of Things) remote monitoring system reports all running conditions live and for the full-service history of the system. Service support specialists can easily detect and correct out of tolerance parameters and send remote updates anywhere in the world, guaranteeing the fastest and most precise service response in the industry.

The ability to easily adapt system configurations was a key consideration for RMGT. Gary Doman, International Sales Manager for Sheetfed at GEW, explains the company’s solution: “Multiple lamps are a requirement in more complex applications and being able to move lamps around the press is a huge advantage for various processes. GEW lamps are designed with this in mind and users can easily move lamps from the delivery to any interdeck position and back again. For coatings and other more demanding applications, the ‘Modular Lamp Array’ is used and offers more power, exactly where and when it is needed.”

GEWs modular lamp array is a customisable arrangement of LED mounting positions on the press.

Rae says, “GEW is proud to have been selected as the new UV LED partner of RMGT. We have a long history of producing reliable, high performance products and our fast, friendly and flexible approach to business has kept customers loyal to us over many years.

We sincerely hope to continue this tradition with such a prestigious, highly regarded company as RMGT and to serve their customers as our own.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

E AD TR Y! NL O

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DIGITAL

ICON Digital Media brings game changers to New Zealand

S

ustainability in the print industry takes constant investment to lead the way.

ICON has recently launched an assortment of products for the digital market as part of this continuous journey.

The company regards the New Future Opti 68gsm as the most exciting of its latest solutions. This FSC certified A4 copy paper offers exceptional opacity and bulk. It represents a major change for the industry by dropping considerably in weight from the usual 80gsm. It also comes in a fully recyclable ream wrapper that meets New Zealand paper recycling requirements.

Simon Delany, general manager for ICON Digital Media at BJ Ball, says, “Lighter weight copier papers are not new and are the norm in many markets outside New Zealand.

What is new for the New Zealand market is access to a product of an acceptable quality which gives 80gsm a run for its money.”

ICON has also introduced the same wrapping material for its premium quality digital coated Silk brand and uncoated ECO100. He adds, “There was so much interest in our plastic free recyclable packaging that our customers have asked us for access to the product for use in food service applications. Keep an eye out for Guardian Barrier Wrap sheets coming to market soon.”

Exciting new options broaden possibilities for digital printing

Excitement: ICON says the New Future Opti 68gsm paper offers exceptional opacity and bulk

Durability Customers who want better environmental choices also need to guarantee durability to their clients.

For this requirement, ICON has introduced Digituff Recycled, which contains 85 per cent recycled PET plastic, allowing customers to make that better choice.

Chris Thomas, business development manager for ICON, explains, “Digituff Recycled has established a well-earned reputation for runability. It is suitable for both dry toner and HP Indigo production presses. It also saves print companies’ time because they don’t have to laminate the finished product.

It is a great option in today’s climate when hygiene is a top priority as it can be disinfected easily.”

A new solution to the line-up, the range of UPM digital adhesives, includes UPM Natural. This product offers a 100 per cent recycled facestock option. Thomas says “The desire for more boutique packaging means we are actively looking for solutions for smaller runs produced on digital production print equipment. This means print companies can offer some really exciting options to their customers.

He concludes, “This is just the start. We have some really cool stuff coming in a few months, so watch this space.”

The ICON Digital Media Team

Simon Delany, general manager 18

Chris Thomas, business development manager

John Stringer, account manager

Richard Cooke, account manager

Harriet Gwynne, sales and logistics

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

Lighter impact Recyclable Plastic-free

Introducing our new FSC® certified 68 gsm A4 office paper Being a conscious consumer is not always about the big decisions, small everyday choices can be just as important.

New Future Opti minimises its environmental impact – from the production process to its biodegradable, recyclable and plastic-free wrapper. This is why it carries the Responsible Fibre™ trademark.

Choose responsibly – choose New Future Opti.

OPTI To learn more, please visit responsiblefibre.upm.com

Exclusively available in New Zealand from Icon iconpaper.co.nz/product/new-future-opti

DIGITAL

Region’s first HP Indigo 100K Digital Press arrives

C

urrie Group and HP have announced the first installation of an HP Indigo 100K Digital Press in the Asia Pacific region.

Australian trade printer CMYKhub has continued its longstanding partnership with HP and Currie Group with the installation.

Craig Walmsley, country manager HP Personalisation and Industrial Business South Pacific, says the deal cements HP Indigo at the forefront of print innovation in the region.

He says, “The HP Indigo 100K is our most productive digital B2 solution yet. It was engineered with offset users in mind, with striking print quality that matches offset look-and-feel while offering significantly higher productivity with up to 6000 sheets per hour.

“At HP, we are incredibly proud to see the first HP Indigo 100K in Asia Pacific installed in Australia at CMYKhub. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the team at CMYKhub, and through our partner Currie Group, in supporting their business growth.”

Smooth transition For CMYKhub, the installation of the HP Indigo 100K marks a significant milestone in a business restructure aimed at bringing the business closer to its customers and production of high value applications.

The new digital press will also help deliver orders faster to customer and open new profit-making opportunities for business. Dayne Nankervis, chief operating officer at CMYKhub, says, “At CMYKhub, we value our strong relationship with HP and Currie Group.

Starting when Bernie Robinson from Currie Group first suggested this machine through to the installation, it has been a quick and smooth transition for our team.

“The HP Indigo 100K was a no brainer for us because of the increased productivity and superior quality, and we’re excited to share more details about the HP Indigo 100K with our resellers and customers in the near future.”

Bernie Robinson, managing director at Currie Group, 20

Aussie trade printer grabs first HP Indigo 100K Digital Press

says, “The strength in the relationship and leadership in technology has delivered a strong and sustainable business model, and we look forward to seeing this next phase for CMYKhub with the 100K at the forefront.”

Advanced automation The first HP Indigo Series 5 Digital Press from the HP Personalisation and Industrialisation Business, the HP Indigo 100K is designed for offset players to transition more work to digital and boost sustainability with on-demand printing. The commercial sheetfed press can do nonstop printing of tens of thousands of B2 duplex sheets every day.

Phillip Rennell, sales and marketing director at Currie Group, says, “Since we first saw the 100K in development, we were genuinely impressed with the advances HP Indigo had made in automation and productivity, and how this would translate into real benefits. We are excited that CMYKhub will be enabling the 100K to deliver these benefits to their business and their customers.”

Designed to fit into the circular economy, the HP Indigo 100K Digital Press delivers low environmental impact printing with maximum productivity and offers advanced paper handling and offset-like gripper-togripper design for precision registration. Other HP Indigo digital advantages include colour automation and calibration, fast switchover

between jobs and media, and a five-input source feeder.

Delivering up to 6000 sheets per hour, the HP Indigo 100K four-colour digital press targets increased margins on short run digital production. HP says it introduces new calculations that confirm a lower total cost of ownership.

Another feature for the new flagship digital press from HP is the use of HP Indigo ElectroInks. HP says these inks bring the widest onpress colour gamut. This gives print companies the opportunity to meet exacting customer requirements and achieve profitable growth.

Through workflow solutions like HP PrintOS, a print production operating system with web and mobile apps, print companies can easily manage customers’ jobs from submission to shipment while simplifying and automating production.

As part of the HP Indigo ecosystem, CMYKhub can increase productivity and streamline production flow with finishing partners’ solutions to produce highvalue applications such as personalised marketing collateral, photobooks, and sophisticated direct mail.

HP adds that, with its new HP digital press, CMYKhub can solve customers’ needs using the industry’s widest range of certified media compatibility, delivering new opportunities to print on dark, transparent and recycled paper, as well as other environmentally accredited substrates, synthetics and paperboard.

Aussie trade printer grabs first HP Indigo 100K Digital Press

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

DIGITAL

The Fuji Xerox Versant 3100i has arrived in New Zealand

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uilding on the success of its Versant 3100 presses, Fuji Xerox has released the Versant 3100i, which offers handling for a wider variety of paper and automated process checks and correction to boost productivity and quality.

Greg O’Shanassy, graphic arts sales manager at Fuji Xerox New Zealand, says, “The Versant 3100i press opens up new markets for print companies through its capabilities, such as the ability to print on much larger sheet size and a wider range of substrates, from 52gsm to 400gsm.”

Fuji Xerox has created an air suction feeder for digital print production. This means the Versant 3100i can achieve higher productivity through reliability and the ability to handle a wider variety of substrates. It enables a continuous feeding, sheet by sheet, for a wide variety of stocks.

The new air suction feeder uses three types of air to achieve stable paper feeding.

First, it blows air inside the tray through a side blower to separate papers. Next, the suction of the shuttle head secures the paper. It then uses an air knife to transport the paper sheet by sheet, which separates any unnecessary paper. Extensive testing has proven that this gives the customer a significant productivity gain.

The feed’s shuttle mechanism draws up the paper strongly using a small amount of air. It easily separates and delivers various paper types, sheet by sheet. This mechanism improves feed performance for paper types where traditional feed methods cause stress, such as paper with a lot of paper dust, pre-printed paper for offset printing using powder, paper with uneven texture, and coated paper prone to sticking.

It delivers stability with a high-speed feed for various paper types, from lightweight to heavyweight, small-sized 22

The new Fuji Xerox Versant 3100i combines productivity and quality

Greg O’Shanassy (l), graphic arts sales manager at Fuji Xerox New Zealand and Mark Northin, national production specialist, with the Fuji Xerox Versant 3100i at the Fuji Xerox Print Technology Centre paper and long paper. It also supports continuous printing of long paper. It can load 100 sheets of 330 x 1200mm long paper and 800 sheets of 330 x 864mm long paper.

The Fuji Xerox Versant 3100i also allows operators to print envelopes at speed. Envelope shapes have traditionally caused problems in feeding; they are higher on one side, but the new air suction feed system overcomes this challenge.

O’Shanassy says, “Print companies can respond to the demand for short run high quality branded envelopes.

“The Versant 3100i’s ability to handle such a broad selection of media expands applications.

Operators can produce a wider variety of printed materials, allowing companies to expand into new markets and gain access to fresh revenue streams. For example, it opens up landscape book publishing to Fuji Xerox customers.”

Both the air suction feeder and the conventional manual feed tray can continuously feed long paper. This enables the printer to load 100 sheets of paper at 1200mm simplex, and 800 sheets of paper at 864mm duplex.

The Versant 3100i has increased productivity by two and half times from the previous Versant model for long sheets; now 23 pages per minute. Readjustment time has reduced to just a few seconds when switching the printing

mode from regular to long paper. Its Full Width Array function automates the image quality correction process before printing for colour calibration, and front and back registration adjustment.

The Fuji Xerox GX Print Server 2 processes high capacity jobs rapidly at high resolution. O’Shanassy says, “It handles variable printing and other high-capacity jobs effortlessly and fully maximises the high productivity of the printer. For print companies, this means a seamless workflow, automation and consistency, processing high image quality jobs often with variable data, at high speed while retaining image quality.”

The Versant 3100i offers any number of finishing options inline, including SRA3 cover sheet insertion, punch, staple, saddle staple, single fold, Z Fold half sheet/trifold, crease, face trim, full bleed trim, and square fold. Your jobs are easily completed from print to finishing. O’Shanassy adds, “Whether using third party or Fuji Xerox finishing solutions, we cover our customers with our benchmark service and support.”

Fuji Xerox New Zealand has installed the Versant 3100i at its Print Technology Centre near Auckland Airport.

O’Shanassy says, “We look forward to demonstrating this exciting new technology so please call us for a chat.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

Tired of jams?

Introducing the new VersantÂŽ 3100i and 180i Presses.

Say goodbye to paper jams with Fuji Xerox’s revolutionary new Air Feed technology. Utilising a patented air suction shuttle and air knife, even the most difficult textured or synthetic stocks are seamlessly and reliably loaded.

Opportunity awaits at www.fujixerox.co.nz/nzl/buildingopportunity or email us on contact@nzl.fujixerox.com

CLASSIC FELLMAN

Defensive sales management In order to win, you have to prevent the other team scoring

needs changed while the printer didn’t.

How do you defend against that? By making sure that at least someone is focused on the customer’s business instead of just the customer’s printing.

ne of the maxims of the sports world is that championships in the major team sports are won with defence.

The offensive part of the game may be a little more glamorous, but it will always be true that you are likely to win if you can keep the other team from scoring.

In the business of selling printing, offense relates to gaining new customers. Every time you make that first sale and turn a prospect into a customer, you have accomplished the printing equivalent of a touchdown, a try, or a goal.

But scoring isn’t everything. In order to win in the long run, you also have to keep the other team from scoring more than you do. In other words, you have to gain customers and keep them in order to win in the printing game: defence.

Executive Involvement

O

Customer service The most obvious element of defence for a printing company is the activity called customer service. In theory, if you provide satisfactory levels of customer service, your customers will stay with you. That theory sometimes breaks down, though, over a conflicting definition of that word satisfactory.

The printers who seem to do the best job of keeping their customers are the ones who understand that there can be no fixed definition of customer service.

It changes from customer to customer.

And one of the most common reasons for a printer to lose a long time customer is that the customer’s service 24

When I say to keep someone focused on the customer’s overall business needs, I don’t necessarily mean that it has to be the salesperson. In many ways, I would rather see someone much more senior in your organisation take on that responsibility. When a manager, or especially the owner, goes out occasionally to meet with customers on the issue of basic business needs, I think it says something much stronger in terms of the printer’s commitment to the customer.

I have been out on hundreds of calls that were arranged with a phone conversation that went something like this. I would say, “The way we’re set up, your salesperson and/or customer service rep are responsible for handling the details on your individual projects. I’d like to come out and spend a few minutes with you to be sure that our entire company is meeting your overall needs, and to see if we can come up with some new ways to make us even more valuable to you.”

That can work even for the small shop, where the owner is also the salesperson. Just tell your customer that you’d like to come out with a different hat on every once in a while and talk about these larger business issues.

Self defence This type of executive involvement forms part of the solution to a potential problem: a salesperson leaving and taking customers away to another printer. The best defense against that is minimise the importance of any single individual in the customer relationship.

Broaden the level of contact between the customer and your organisation.

The more people who know the customer, the safer the relationship.

This strategy allows you to put a strong contingency plan into effect. If a salesperson does leave you for another printer, you are positioned to take a familiar team of people right out to those customers and say, “Yes, Jack is a great guy, and we’re sorry he’s leaving us. But we want you to remember that there are quite a few people besides Jack who have been taking care of your printing needs. And the rest of us want to keep your business.”

The bottom line is that you need to continually work at gaining new customers, and at keeping the ones you already have. The losers in this business don’t understand that keeping customers means that you can never let up on the kind of service, attention, and understanding of their business needs that it took to gain their confidence in the first place.

The winners in this business, the champions, play great defence.

This classic Fellman article first appeared in Australian Printer Magazine February 2013 Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, Raleigh, NC, USA, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact Dave at dmf@davefellman.com. Visit his website at www.davefellman.com

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

WIDE FORMAT +Plus

New Epson printers expand the possibilities for wide format Kemp and Portillo join Computaleta l Total Supply buys Blue Print l NZSDA sets for a big year

WIDE FORMAT NEWS

Computaleta picks Kemp for HP division Sign and graphics distributor Computaleta has hired Aaron Kemp to lead its print hardware division.

This announcement follows Computaleta securing channel partner status for HP in December.

Aaron Kemp brings a wealth of experience with HP wide format and industrial printers after serving more than 10 years with former multiaward winning HP channel partner, Jenrite.

Miguel Portillo also joins the Computaleta HP division as its lead technician. Certified with HP wide format printers. The company adds that Portillo brings a friendly, credible, and steady reliability to the Computaleta team.

Knowledge and expertise features in Computaleta’s new HP division: Miguel Portillo (l) and Aaron Kemp The two specialists look forward to helping Computaleta customers.

They will work out of Computaleta’s new highspec premises in Onehunga, complete with HP demonstration space.

Steve MacLean, national sales and marketing manager at Computaleta, says the new hires form part of an overall strategy to gear up heavily in this space.

He says, “We want to ensure our customers get

the level of support they deserve when they buy a wide format machine, not just in the immediate sale, but in the ongoing servicing and support.

“It is our goal to bring the Computaleta responsiveness and down-to-earth equity that we are renowned for. We are the only New Zealand owned distributor with a national reach.

Through our five branches nationwide we support all regions around the country with a local presence.

“Anyone who wants to view a demonstration and have a hands-on experience with HP wide-format printers, including the new 700 and 800 series printers, can secure a place at www.clgroup.co.nz/ HPexperience.”

Total Supply buys Blue Print Imaging Total Supply has entered into a sale agreement with the owners of Blue Print Imaging, Geoff Milliken and Rick Day. The companies expect to complete the transaction by February 26, at which time Blueprint will join the Total

Supply business. Morgan John, general manager of Total Supply owner Spicers New Zealand, says, “We are delighted to announce this news, the investment makes good on our plans to continually invest in our Paper, Industrial

Packaging and Sign & Display businesses. Prior to the completion date in late February 2021, the businesses will continue to operate independently. We will communicate further updates in early 2021, how the businesses will integrate

once the transaction completes.

“We welcome Geoff, Rick and the team at Blueprint to our business. If anyone has any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Cameron Harris, general manager at Total Supply or me.”

Esko plans Kongsberg sale Global digital solutions developer Esko has announced the planned sale of its Kongsberg digital finishing business to private equity business OpenGate Capital.

Fuji Xerox New Zealand supplies Kongsberg solutions locally and will continue to do so.

Esko explains that customers with Kongsberg systems can expect business as usual. As part of the deal with OPenGate Capital, reseller relationships will transfer to the new Kongsberg PCS business, Esko says that this means customers who have purchased Kongsberg 26

tables through resellers will benefit from uninterrupted relationships.

Most of the employees who currently serve Esko will continue to do so as part of the new stand-alone business.

Several seasoned digital finishing experts will move from Esko to outfit the new Kongsberg PCS leadership team.

Among them those experts is the new president of Kongsberg PCS, Stuart Fox. He says, “We are excited about this change and the new opportunities it brings for Kongsberg to accelerate growth with new customers.

Founded in Norway in 1965, Kongsberg joined Esko (then Barco) in 1998. This latest planned sale includes the original research and development facility in Kongsberg, Norway and the production facility in Brno, Czech Republic. OpenGate Capital has its headquarters in Los Angeles, California, with a European office in Paris and investments on five continents.

Mattias Byström, president of packaging and colour management companies Pantone, Esko, X-Rite and AVT, says, “Esko is concentrating our efforts on delivering end-to-end

workflow solutions for our customers across the packaging supply chain: from brands to pre-media to packaging printers and converters.”

OpenGate Capital says that it sees a number of opportunities for growing the Kongsberg business beyond packaging applications, expanding the product offering and growing the tooling and consumables offering.

Byström adds, “With a sharpened focus, we can accelerate our delivery of integrated software and hardware technologies to help our customers digitise, automate, and connect.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

WIDE FORMAT

HP releases new Latex portfolio The new HP Latex models are available now

T

he year has started at a rapid clip for HP, with the graphics giant announcing new models: the HP Latex 700 and 800, and the HP Latex 700W and 800W which offer white ink capability for the first time in this category.

Mitch Boocock, channel partner manager for Aarque, says, “We are extremely excited to put our effort in behind a product which impresses on so many fronts, from production, to safety, to environmental sustainability.”

The new models target more vivid colours with finer image and text details, even at faster print speeds. They feature updated printheads with more nozzles, printing at speeds of 36 square metres per hour in outdoor mode. The HP Latex 800 and 800W deliver up to 50 per cent higher productivity levels compared to previous models.

The new Latex devices also build on HP’s commitment to sustainable printing. All four devices in the HP Latex 700 and 800 series operate at a lower temperature. They use water-based inks and HP Eco Carton, a cartridge made with cardboard material, reducing the amount of plastic used by 80 per cent.

Darrin Weir, national sales manager for Aarque, with the new HP Latex 800W printer Boocock says, “This is a great news story for 2021 and Aarque is proud to ride the new technology wave with our clients. After the uncertainty of 2020, our partners want to trust in a company with history, experience, expert advice and a truly professional demo and training facility. We are genuinely excited to launch this new HP Latex range that impresses with technology, safety and sustainability.”

“HP has also introduced

The new HP Latex 700 printer 28

an updated Latex Print and Cut portfolio that is fully compatible with the Latex 700 and 800 Series. Equipped with the latest Raster Image Processor (RIP) software and completely new contour cutters.

The devices allow for improved usability, making jobs easier and more intuitive for signage and decorative printed applications.

Aarque offers nationwide service and support. Boocock adds, “Along with our unmatched service, wide range of quality substrates, the home of HP Latex in New Zealand truly begins at the Aarque front door. We welcome clients to contact us and arrange a visit us to our demo and training facility in Henderson, Auckland.

“We are proud such ground breaking technology and breakthrough sustainability is being led to market via a truly trusted wide format supplier in Aarque. In unprecedented and uncertain times such as we have had in the last year, we see more than ever that the industry is really looking for a partner with long history and genuine experience in the Latex market. Our hardware and substrate experts are ready to welcome clients to our demo and training facility.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

EQUIPPED TO

WIN BIG Take on the highest value jubs with the new HP Latex 700 and 800 Printer series Hp.com/go/equippedtowinbig

0508 22 88 73 | www.aarque.co.nz

WIDE FORMAT

Epson printers expand wide format possibilities

W

ith the launch of a range of new models late last year, Epson has opened the door to new possibilities for wide format printing.

SureColor F10060 Epson’s first 193cm wide format printer, a sophisticated dye-sublimation machine for textile production, targets high volume producers with speed, reliability, and efficiency.

Applications include soft signage, fashion, sportswear, home furnishings and décor.

Offering the highest throughput of any Epson wide format printer, it features four of Epson’s latest 12cm PrecisionCore Micro TFP print heads that each incorporate four print elements. Active nozzle status monitoring and advanced self-cleaning ensure consistent high quality output at up to 255 square metres per hour.

The printer supports media rolls up to 193cm wide and 60kg in weight.

It features an 80 litre bulk ink system; an extra-large 155GB buffer memory; highspeed networking; onboard step and repeat; precision feed management; and a compact double-sided dryer for fast roll to roll production with consistent tension and parallelism for quality sublimation.

A 23cm colour touch panel display and transparent platen window with integrated lighting make operation easy and downloadable EMX profiles facilitate rapid set-up with common media types. An integrated RGB camera enables easy profile adjustment and fast configuration with new media.

SureColor V7000 For sign makers looking to produce UV output, Epson launched its first flatbed printer.

The SC-V7000 prints on a range of substrates including paper, film, corflute, vinyl, canvas, aluminium and acrylic.

Applications include signage, POS/POP, premium packaging, décor, custom cabinetry and even fine art.

The printer incorporates 30

Challenging Latex: the Epson SureColor R5000

The latest printers from Epson are packed with innovation

eight Epson MicroPiezo printheads. Each head features 1440 microfine nozzles with variable size dots as small as 4pl. Epson says, working in conjunction with a new 10 colour Ultrachrome UV ink set, the SC-V7000 will produce images with a wide gamut and surprisingly fine gradation,.

White and Varnish can even be applied as spot colours for enhanced detail and finish.

Offering a 1.25m x 2.50m print area, the SC-V7000 supports media up to 80mm thick and 5kg per square metre. It features a vacuum system with four independently adjustable zones for flexible operation. Integrated layout pins and a height sensor on the head carriage enable easy media setting while an ioniser targets reliable and consistent output. The print heads, mounted in a staggered array, enable operators to apply three layers in a single pass: White + Colour + Varnish.

Supplied with Epson Edge Print RIP software and Flatbed Controller software, the printer’s Epson Edge dashboard enables management from the desktop using Epson Edge Dashboard. It supports Epson’s new Cloud Solution PORT service.

SureColor F3000 Epson’s first industrial direct to garment printer, the SureColor F3000 aims for low total cost of ownership, reliability, and exceptional performance.

The printer uses dual printhead technology and a bulk ink pack system, providing low ink cost and minimising waste. It touts new automatic garment height adjustment and

easy user maintenance features to increase production and reduce downtime for garment print shops creating custom apparel. The SureColor F3000 can produce a full-size shirt in about a minute, allowing shops to print hundreds of shirts per day.

It will digitally print custom garments on a variety of fabric types including cotton, linen and rayon. Its automatic printhead height adjustment is set based on garment thickness and texture for optimal print quality without user interference, and easily switches between thin t-shirts and thick sweatshirts with less downtime between garments.

It also features a linear rail system and CNC milled print carriage, user serviceable parts, including printheads for low downtime.

SureColor R5000 and R5000L Epson’s new R-series uses resin ink solutions. The company says the R-series offers potential for faster job turnaround with reduced health and safety and environmental concerns.

Designed to compete against latex, these printers offer production speeds up to 27 square metres per hour.

Dual PrecisionCore Micro TFP printheads and Epson Precision Dot technology enhance print performance and colour control. Epson has reduced curing temperatures for enhanced media support.

Precision media tracking and temperature control helps ensure consistency for colour, image sizing, and positioning from edge to edge, top to bottom, and print to print.

Epson resin ink produces minimal odour and does not require the out-gassing time of solvent. The efficient drying and curing process enables prints to be produced and laminated quickly for faster job turnaround.

The printers use a new six-colour UltraChrome RS inkset with a water-based formulation. The ink produces durable images that suit indoor and outdoor applications in a variety of environments including schools, hospitals, hotels, shops, and homes.

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

UV INK

E C O - S O LV E N T I N K

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RESIN INK

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Epson’s signage and décor printers deliver higher image quality with superior colour and

gradation. They offer wide media support and cost-effective production backed with

on-site CoverPlus extendable up to 5 years. From indoor POS, outdoor signs, back-lit

displays, window decorations, banners and vehicle wraps to wall coverings, floor stickers, custom cabinetry, flags and merchandise, Epson has the selection for you.

www.epson.co.nz/prographics

Shaping the future of the sign industry

A

n action-packed year looms for The New Zealand Sign & Display Association as it plans on releasing topical initiatives, including new technologies, a new age approach to environmental thinking and planning and reconnecting to the industry at all three of the key events planned for July 2021.

Embracing technology is a key initiative for the NZSDA. Last year, NZSDA took time to plan for how it could assist and help shape the future of the industry. It became obvious that technology was front of mind for many, with various platforms utilised for different purposes. We used new ways to connect with staff and customers, and although they were virtual, businesses could keep running and bridge the gap, allowing no boundaries for working at home, on the road or office.

The NZSDA had been talking about releasing a Sign App over recent years, and now it is hopeful to have stage one released in July 2021. This App will provide the ultimate platform for sign makers. It will contain and replace all current publications the NZSDA offer, like the directories, diary, price guide and best practice guides. Features will include a measurement function for onsite measure ups; quoting and calendar for appointments; email; invoicing and payment options; registering for events or courses; and a library of resources and discounts etc.

The Sign app will be at a cost for non-members to download, but free to members. Different levels at various costs will unlock function availabilities.

The NZSDA has engaged with sustainability groups and industry suppliers on a common goal: a circular economy with zero waste.

With many industry suppliers already involved in their own take back programmes, or providing sustainable products or services, it makes sense to collaborate collectively to strive for the same outcomes so a 32

Melissa Coutts predicts positive changes in 2021

Greener: the NZSDA will focus on the circular economy this year change leads towards a cleaner and more environmentally friendly industry.

Top of mind for suppliers is engagement to educate the sign maker on the benefits of offering sustainable products for their businesses. The chat has begun and the NZSDA looks forward to bringing and leading with solutions for the signage industry in 2021.

With these two big initiatives in place for 2021, the NZSDA also see its brand as an integral part of the plan to lead change within the industry and publicly. Creating public awareness of what the NZSDA logo stands for will create an even bigger divide between the ‘back yard’ sign makers and our members, who represent quality and integrity.

The NZSDA has begun connecting more and collaborating with those industries that seem to always cross paths with the sign maker, like the construction sector, design houses and architects. Having started the conversations already provides a sound grounding leading to the NZ Sign Expo 2021.

Igniting that spark and creating the interest to engage with the sign industry will not only be advantageous for sign and print businesses but also those that cross paths daily within their working environments.

The NZ Sign Expo will launch on July 8 with its industry expert evening. It will then open to the industry and public until July 10. The Awards of Excellence takes place later on July 10 at The Cordis Hotel.

With 65 awards to be given out, representing a two-year period, the 2021 Awards of Excellence event will be a sell out and an event not to miss.

To achieve an award is a highlight in your sign making career; a night to remember and be proud of. For aspirants, please ensure you read the rules. Many entries in 2019 were disqualified due to the entrants’ branding being present in the background of the image. Also, under each category, you will find out how the judges judge entries, keeping it real and transparent for everyone. New judges will be invited from outside of the sign industry to assist.

The members conference will be running alongside the Expo as always where key topics will be front of mind, such as specialists on sustainability, social and web technology, and mental wellbeing, plus industry business tips and advice from Mr John Hadfield.

The scene is set, the plans are in place as the NZSDA looks forward to a positive change for 2021.

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

President Post

A

s an 18-year-old sign apprentice completing work for the World Expo 1988 in Brisbane, I discussed the future of sign making with my boss. We talked of holograms, giant TV screens and giant 3D digital sharks jumping out of billboards. Since then, we have seen computers, digital printers, routers, wrapping vehicles in vinyl and LED technology going ballistic.

Technology has brought us great new products to make our signage from and it has created a big problem for the planet in the form of waste.

In my little shop, with only three tradesmen, we throw away a three metre square bin of ACM, vinyl backing paper and plastics, not to mention waste ink and toners, every week. Everything we use is

ANDY LOWE, PRESIDENT NZSDA

Let’s do our bit for a more sustainable industry

designed to last as long as possible and not breakdown.

Unless you make your signage from Coke bottles or cardboard, most council recycling systems just do not cater for the types of waste we produce. What can we do as responsible sign makers to help control of the rubbish we humans create?

We can promote the use of environmentally sustainable materials in our production techniques. Many of our suppliers offer a small but growing range of more sustainable products along with waste reduction and recycling initiatives.

We can educate ourselves and our customers. We can promote the use of materials that are more environmentally friendly to our clients and sell them the idea of using the greener options. This will

create higher demand for these products. We must start to promote and sell them.

But, what about the price?

“People will not pay for the more expensive, more sustainable products,” I hear you say. Presently, these materials are more expensive but the more we can promote to increase sales, the more the manufacturers will produce which will bring the pricing down. After ACM appeared on the market, it was demand that brought prices down.

We can make the greener option the norm for all signage production. The first step is to contact your suppliers today and find out what sustainable and environmental options they can offer your business and then make sure you quote and promote the greener option to your clients.

This is how we do our bit.

Secretary Note D

uring the last four months of 2020, I travelled around most of the South Island, visiting our active and loyal members plus also some potential member’s that we would like to encourage to join the association simply because they are making great impressions in their local communities for their exceptional service, quality, and creativity.

I will continue visiting sign makers, ticking of the South Island with trips to the West Coast, Tasman and Marlborough regions.

I look forward to seeing the members, and potential members, informing them of our plans and actions for 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

MELISSA COUTTS, SECRETARY NZSDA

Bring on all the challenges for 2021 and let the hard work begin

and sharing our vision for the industry and our goals as an association. Our plans on sustainability, technology, and branding, also continue.

We also have three big events on this year. We will continue organising the NZ Sign Expo, NZSDA Conference and the NZ Sign Awards of Excellence.

We will release details and the programme of the NZ Sign Expo in the coming weeks.

Bookings for the Expo look extremely positive with 85 per cent of the exhibitors reconfirming their bookings for 2021. However, we have some sites available all at reasonable prices. The NZ Sign Expo is complimentary to attend, but you must register for ticket

entry, so head along to our website to find out how.

The NZSDA Conference Annual General Meeting takes place on the morning of July 8. NZSDA has packed the next morning with industry specific learning sessions, before we head to the NZ Sign Expo for the afternoon, followed by a Friday night evening dinner.

The New Zealand Sign Awards for Excellence looks like being an extremely popular event this year. Get your ticket orders in now as seats are limited.

Looking ahead, I see one hell of a ride coming and I welcome any assistance. So please contact me and let me know your one attribute that could be my game changer for 2021.

February 2021

33

Sign making still going strong in Gore

I

n 1968, aged 15 and a half years, Jim Marshall began his working life as a sign maker and he has pretty much enjoyed every day at work since then.

He says, “I spent five years completing my apprenticeship and then went into business with another fellow. We worked together for 10 years then, when he left, I carried on with the business and changed the name to Sign Advertising Gore.

The Gore-based company provides the full range of sign making services including traditional brush work.

He says, “Of course, I trained with a brush. My current business partner, Anthony McCorkindale, is also trained with a brush too. We have trained a lot of apprentices over the years.

“We accept any jobs and we do almost everything; we subcontract out router work.

We do jobs that perhaps we should not do, but it doesn’t pay to say no to a customer.

Right now, we are doing a

Southern signee legend Jim Marshall shares his love for sign making

Cost effective: Jim Marshall still enjoys brush work and he shares how to make it profitable 34

The Sign Advertising Gore team, from left: Christina Sandford, graphic designer; Anthony McCorkindale, sign maker and shareholder; Jim Marshall, managing director; and sign makers Jesse Small and Kim Marshall good amount of vehicle work.

We have a lot of farming and industry down our way, but we don’t get the blingy shop malls and high illumination 3D work that the city sign shops do.”

Sign Advertising Gore offers design work as well, with five full time staff and one part timer.

He says, “Two of the staff have graphic design degrees.

One of the designers also has a business management degree.

One of my daughters is still with us in the business after 18 years.

Sign Advertising Gore uses a wide format digital printer and does work for the likes of museums, exhibitions and businesses that need display stands.

He explains, “We have an association with a graphic designer who has commissions to do display work and work for displays in museums – flat panels. We really enjoy that sort of work.”

At 68 years of age, he still gets up and down scaffolding.

He says, “I enjoy hands on work. I love going to work and I love being involved with projects.

“I have no intention to retire and yes, there isn’t a day goes without someone saying, ‘Are you still here?’. But retirement is not a pleasant thought for me.”

He still feels pleased to be able to offer his expertise and skills to customers. He says, “When a prospective customer comes into the shop, I get excited with the planning and so on.

“We handle jobs of all sizes. I still do brush work. I do a lot of honours boards. That goes back many years. They still want them down by hand.

“We also still paint large signage on the sides of buildings. It is still an excellent option and we use it where it is best to use it.

“Brushes can be quite cost effective. When you consider the cost of ACM, then bolting it to a wall. Often it is more costeffective by hand.

“I do a lot of old vehicles by hand. When companies are restoring vehicles, they want them by hand. We have painted exhibition pieces for transport companies. They don’t want cut graphics.

“We sometimes must make the paint look weathered because some of the restored vehicles are restored to look old.

Jim and the team at Sign Advertising Gore are always kept busy. He still has a 60 per cent share of the business.

He concludes, “Gore is a good town, and this is a good area. There is reasonable prosperity here.”

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

Get it right the first time Our members have the right knowledge and experience, so to get more kiwis trusting your business become a member today!

Right people, job done well!

Visit us at www.nzsda.org.nz

WIDE FORMAT

Currie Group will distribute EFI wide format

E

FI has established a new distribution partnership with Currie Group for New Zealand and Australia.

This follows EFI’s continued expansion in its customer base for display graphics digital inkjet technologies in the two countries.

Through the partnership, Currie Group will sell the broad portfolio of EFI wide format UV LED printers.

Currently working closely on sales activities planning, the companies promise go-tomarket commencing in early 2021.

Rodd Harrison, vice president of sales, Asia-Pacific for EFI, says, “This new partnership will allow EFI to reach even more customers as we expand our growth. EFI is committed to the market in Australia and New Zealand.

“The synergies to be created with Currie Group’s infrastructure and our leading portfolio are significant as a means to help customers thrive with digital wide-format printing.”

Currie Group, the largest, independent, privately owned supplier to the printing industry across Australia and New Zealand, has offices and staff in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. It has established a reputation for delivering technical service and support of the highest possible standard, while also distributing a range of quality equipment and consumables.

Founded in 1949, Currie Group has a long tradition in technical training and development and offers the latest best of breed technology available from leading prepress,

EFI confirms commitment to New Zealand with the appointment of one of the region’s most reliable and trusted suppliers

The EFI Pro 32r+ is now available through Currie Group 36

Currie Group brings considerable wide format expertise to the local market: Paul Whitehead (l) business unit manager – wide format and Marcus Robinson(r), operations manager print and finishing equipment manufacturers to provide a fully integrated print solution.

David Currie, executive chairman for Currie Group, says, “Currie Group continues to drive growth in our business and for our customers through digital transformation.

“Printing companies have many opportunities for growth with wide format, so we are excited to begin this new partnership to provide customers with EFI’s worldclass, versatile UV LED solutions.

“The range of innovations available through EFI’s line up of roll to roll, flatbed and hybrid printers opens up new, creative possibilities for our customers.”

The new partnership comes amid a burgeoning expansion in wide format print among EFI customers. Despite the pandemic, the company recorded nearly 20 new printer installations in Australia and New Zealand over the course of the year.

Whitehead returns In anticipation of servicing the Australia and New Zealand wide format market, Currie Group has appointed Paul Whitehead as the wide format business unit manager.

Currie Group and EFI welcome Whitehead into this newly created role with the purpose of creating, managing and growing Currie Group and EFI’s presence in the wide format market. Both companies have confidence in Whitehead’s ability to create effective strategies and build strong relationships with new and existing customers.

Whitehead has worked in the industry for the past 20 years, now returning home to Melbourne after most recently working abroad in Europe as an international marketing director within the wide-format sector.

Whitehead says, “To work for a highly respected Australian company, representing a market leading technology organisation that boasts an exciting product portfolio and equally impressive roadmap, is an amazing opportunity. I cannot wait to bring this strong combination to the Australian and New Zealand markets.”

Currie Group welcomes all wide format enquiries via info@curriegroup.com.au.

For more information about advanced EFI technologies for display graphics production, visit www.efi.com.

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

LABELS & PACKAGING

PIDA opens applications for 2021

A

pplications have opened for the 2021 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards.

With a deadline of March 5, organisers have already begun receiving entries from across New Zealand and Australia.

The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) has designed the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA) to recognise companies and individuals making a significant difference in their field in Australia and New Zealand.

As the exclusive award programme for all Australia and New Zealand entries into the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards, the PIDAs encourage packaging professionals to share and celebrate their best work. The World Packaging Organisation coordinates the WorldStar Packaging Awards.

Last year’s New Zealand winners included Oji Fibre Solutions for its RJ’s Licorice packaging; Punchbowl Packaging for its Kaituna Blueberries punnets; and Pact Group for its Lewis Road Creamery milk bottle.

The 2021 PIDA Categories: • Design Innovation of the Year: Food • Design Innovation of the Year: Beverage • Design Innovation of the Year: Health, Beauty & Wellness • Design Innovation of the Year: Domestic & Household • Design Innovation of the Year: Labelling & Decoration • Design Innovation of the Year: Outside the Box • Sustainable Packaging Special Award • Save Food Packaging Design Special Award • Accessible Packaging Design Special Award • Marketing Special Award • Young Packaging Professional of the Year • Industry Packaging Professional of the Year To download the entry forms and criteria visit http://aipack. com.au/2021-pida-awards/ or email pida@aipack.com.au for further information. newzealandprinter.co.nz

A win in the PIDAs gains entry to WorldStar Awards

Pact Group’s Lewis Road Creamery milk bottle

Punchbowl Packaging’s Kaituna Blueberries punnets

Oji Fibre Solution’s RJ’s Licorice packaging

February 2021

37

PACKAGING

Heidelberg responds to pa Market growth sees new installations, especially in Asia Pacific region

P

lacing a clear focus on the high potential for growth in the packaging market, Heidelberg has positioned itself in the growing field of folding carton printing on board worldwide and in China in particular.

Rainer Hundsdörfer, chief executive officer at Heidelberg, says, “The Chinese market, which is so important for us, is the one where demand has returned fastest and closest to that of the previous year during the pandemic.

“The long-term prospects look good too. China is still the fastest growing market in the world. Our market share of about 50 percent puts us out in front here, and we want to consolidate our strong position even further. Therefore, we will further expand our production capacities in Shanghai and increase our competitiveness there with a higher share of value added. As well as local production, Heidelberg China will also provide assistance with a strong sales and service team. We have our sights firmly set on the successful packaging printing companies above all.”

The packaging market is growing. According to a

Customers at the Heidelberg Packaging Day in the Print Media Centre in Shanghai

Sichuan Kuanzhai Printing produces tobacco packaging and its Suining print shop has ordered two new Heidelberg presses 38

Smithers Pira 2019 study ‘The Future of Global Packaging to 2024’, the total value of the global packaging volume for 2019 was almost US$920bn.

The study expects this to grow at an average rate of 2.8 per cent annually to over US$1trn by 2024. In relation to volume for the materials board, flexible packaging, rigid plastics, metal and glass markets, Asia was the biggest market in 2018, accounting for around 40 per cent of global packaging consumption, followed by North America with around 22 per cent, and Western Europe in third place with 20 per cent.

China is the world’s biggest packaging consumer, at over US$200bn. It is also forecast to have the fastest growth in packaging consumption over.

The five-year period from 2019 to 2024, with a rate of almost five per cent. This is due to the rising real take-home pay, an expanding middle

class, a growing population, the increasing urbanization, and further expansion of ecommerce.

Packaging Day Heidelberg says that, while offering its solutions in the growth market of packaging for the folding carton printing and label segments, it has seen Covid-19 accelerate the evolution towards digital communication and events more at a local level. In September 2020, Heidelberg China held a combined inperson and online event called the Packaging Day. With a goal to show the folding carton printers the enormous productivity potential that they can exploit with intelligent high performance machines and optimised processes, Heidelberg reports massive interest from customers and

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

PACKAGING

ackaging printing growth

other companies in China.

It sees this approach as the answer to the market trends in the Chinese packaging printing industry, such as ever declining run lengths and increasing expectations for finishing. During Packaging Day, Heidelberg presented its comprehensive portfolio for the entire production process.

On site in the Heidelberg Print Media Centre in Shanghai, 65 customers got to see four different applications being produced with more than 10 live demonstrations on a Speedmaster CD-102 nine-colour press. Highlights included high-speed job changes and sophisticated finishing, showing how to add value to packaging. These packaging solutions have proven especially popular in China. Prepared and streamed customer reports from the various regions of China showed the solutions in newzealandprinter.co.nz

Sam Chong (l), managing director of Xian Jun Long Printing with Achim Mergenthaler, site manager Heidelberg Shanghai with the certificate for the Speedmaster CD 102; the 9,999th printing unit from the Heidelberg Shanghai plant use in real life how much its customers trust in and rate the Heidelberg machines.

In parallel, Heidelberg presented the live demonstrations and customer reports on two live streaming platforms, clicked on by over 108,000 viewers. The received almost 70,000 likes.

Benny Huang, chief executive officer of Heidelberg for Greater China, says, “In the Greater China market, we will invest more in new concepts, platforms, and applications as well as in regional events in order to guarantee more direct communication with the customers.

“The Packaging Day enabled us to present our innovations effectively online and offline and communicate instantly with our customers.

We couldn’t be happier with the positive result: nearly 20

opportunities about sheetfed presses with a total value of almost €12m ($20.3m), three of these opportunities came over the online platforms.”

Impressive installations In 2020, Sichuan Kuanzhai Printing, a leading Chinese tobacco packaging printer, expanded its print capacity with the construction of a new factory. As part of this, the company placed an order with Heidelberg China for two Speedmaster CX 102 presses with a total of 23 printing units. It has scheduled the first installation for December of this year.

The marks Sichuan Kuanzhai’s first time partnering with Heidelberg.

Heidelberg says it clinched the Continued on page 40 February 2021

39

PACKAGING Continued from page 39 deal through the innovations and technology of the 2020 generation of the Speedmaster CX 102 with Push to Stop concept. This should increase productivity to a level where the factory can produce over one million cartons annually.

The company mainly prints premium tobacco packaging.

Another leading Chinese packaging printer, Shenzhen Jinjia Group, has worked with Heidelberg for more than 20 years. Shenzen Jinjia Group services the high-end market with brands in the tobacco, liqueur, spirits, and cosmetics segments. The customers have high expectations regarding the development and innovation designs of new products.

In 2017 and 2019, the company installed Two Speedmaster CD 102-6+L presses, built in the Heidelberg Shanghai factory. Shenzen Jinjia uses both presses specifically for the development of new printed products and colour proofs in its development centre. All printing presses at its headquarters in Shenzhen, and in the other branches are customized long Speedmaster CX 102 and CD 102 machines, designed together with Jinjia and tailored to the needs of the end customers.

Printing company Xian Jun Long in Shenzhen took delivery this year of a new Speedmaster CD 102-9+L featuring the 9,999th printing unit produced by the Heidelberg Shanghai site. Xian Jun Long, a leading packaging printing company, specialises in packaging for spirits, cigarettes, and luxury goods. The Xian Jun Long Heidelberg partnership goes back 20 years. The company also has a Speedmaster CD 102 with the machine number 999 from the Shanghai plant, which has operated there for several years. Xian Jun Long has ordered two Speedmaster CD 102-8+L presses this year.

The anniversary press will take its place in an extensive fleet of Speedmaster CD 102 and Speedmaster CX 102 systems.

Masterwork and Heidelberg The Heidelberg Shanghai production site, built to modern standards, now encompasses a production area of around 45,000 square metres, making it one of the biggest printing 40

The Shenzhen Jinjia Group, a leading Chinese packaging printing company, uses Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 102 and CD 102 presses

Investing in new concepts: Benny Huang, chief executive officer Heidelberg Greater China

The Heidelberg Shanghai production site, one of the biggest printing press factories in Asia press factories in Asia based on square footage.

Achim Mergenthaler, head of the Heidelberg Shanghai site, says, “At the moment we’re not seeing any more knockon effects of Covid-19 on the factory’s capacity utilisation.

“The safety measures we implemented meant we were one of the first factories in Shanghai to resume operation.

Even the supply of parts from our suppliers was fully back on

track from the end of February 2020. In February and March of last year, we had several fixed date machines on the schedule, all of which we were able to deliver on time. Since then, we have gradually gotten back to steady work and normal life in Shanghai.”

Now operating to full capacity, the factory reports higher production figures for the last quarter of 2020 than the previous year. It also has a higher export quota including a high rate of exports to Japan. This includes the first Speedmaster CD 102 eightcolour press with coating unit outside of China.

Around 60 to 70 per cent of the bestselling Speedmaster CD 102 presses find a place in packaging printing plants.

Mergenthaler says, “We have ramped up here from year to year. We started in 2018 with the delivery of the first Speedmaster CD 102-7+L. This was followed a year later by the Speedmaster CD 102-8+L and this year by the Speedmaster CD 102-9+L, which was delivered to the printing company Xian Jun Long in Shenzhen. From 2018 to today, over 80 of these long packaging presses from the Speedmaster CD 102 series have been produced and sold.

Heidelberg partners with Masterwork, Tianjin, (MK) for the postpress machines in the packaging segment. MK is the largest manufacturer of die cutters, embossing machines, and hot foil machines in the Asian region. For the packaging market, MK developed several new machines and Heidelberg has already sold more than 500 of them worldwide: die-cutters and folder gluers. The company constantly extends the portfolio to meet the growing needs of the customers.

The companies further strengthened their relationship in 2019, with MK Masterwork becoming a long-term, strategic anchor shareholder in Heidelberg with a shareholding of around 8.5 per cent. This will enable Heidelberg to further expand its position in the growing packaging printing market with MK. Heidelberg says its announced joint venture with Masterwork will further strengthen Heidelberg´s leading competitive position in the growth market of China.

February 2021 newzealandprinter.co.nz

LABELS & PACKAGING NEWS

Flint Group forms XSYS for flexo and prepress Flint Group has launched XSYS, a new division that combines Flint Group Flexographic with Xeikon Prepress.

The two groups have worked closely for some time in support of the flexographic and letterpress markets. Flint Group says this formal alignment will bring more collaboration and innovation to the group and to its customers.

Dagmar Schmidt, president of XSYS, says, “With the integration of Xeikon Prepress with Flint Group Flexographic, we are now connecting the dots and are implementing an important step of our strategy to become a full solution provider for the flexographic prepress industry.

“In forming this new division, we bring together what belongs together: plates, processing equipment (solvent and solvent free), imagers, sleeves and adapters.

“With this move, we expand our expertise

New division: XSYS will incorporate a range of products including nyloflex plates towards our customers.

The name derives from ThermoFlexX, nyloflex, Xpress and other brands that feature the X, combined with Systems to form the name XSYS.” XSYS will operate from more than 37 locations around the world as one of the largest global suppliers offering flexographic and letterpress prepress solutions including plates, sleeves, processors, and workflow solutions.

Friedrich von Rechteren, global commercial vice president at XSYS, adds, “With a complete portfolio and a distinctive name we want to inspire not only our customers, but also our colleagues. Understanding, flexibility, and consistency are our core values and our promise to customers and partners.

“Our values are what sets us apart from competitors as a proactive, future oriented player in the

flexographic industry. Our customers can count on us and on the quality of our products and services.

At the same time, we are able to offer our customers flexibility and freedom in their decision making; a key requirement in today’s world and even more so in the future.”

The new division has the tagline ‘Be Brilliant’.

Schmidt says, “This tagline reflects our belief that the world needs brilliance and great ideas and developments to meet the challenges of the future.”

XSYS will incorporate the following products and brands: nyloflex flexographic solvent and thermal plates and equipment; nyloprint letterpress plates and equipment; nylosolv; rotec sleeves and adapters; ThermoFlexX TfxX Imagers; ThermoFlexX Catena Plate Processing equipment; and surface screening solutions. All will operate under the divisional brand XSYS.

Esko forms partnership with Asahi Flexographic photopolymer plate developer Asahi Photoproducts has collaborated with hardware and software solutions provider Esko for a new automated flexo platemaking solution.

The collaboration will bring together key hardware and software technologies from both companies to deliver a highly efficient and sustainable print form solution for the packaging sector.

Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager for Asahi Photoproducts Europe, says, “Today, flexographic companies are operating in a complex, fast turnaround industry, that often impacts their operational efficiency and profitability.

For that reason, they need to simplify their processes while improving newzealandprinter.co.nz

Flexo partners: Esko and Asahi hope to take their business to a new level with their latest collaboration quality, consistency, and profitability. In doing so, they can create new business opportunities and positively transform their environmental impact.

“This breakthrough innovation will be different to other solutions on the market. It is not just an

assembly of available plate making processes delivered inline, but rather a holistic approach to connecting technologies, up and downstream of the prepress process, using an intelligent automation hub as the backbone and heart of the solution.”

Pascal Thomas, director of Flexo Business at Esko, says, “At Esko, we have long been dedicated to improving the platemaking experience. Together with Asahi Photoproducts, we are taking the flexo platemaking process to a new level, enabling our customers to be even more competitive while also ensuring they can meet today’s demands for flexible and sustainable supply.

“We aim to deliver a cleaner, more environmentally balanced operation; one that simplifies the print form making process, improves safety, and creates higher print quality consistency.

“Of course, the ultimate objective, for us at Esko, is to improve our customers’ overall business performance and profitability.”

February 2021

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